Today in the news: Roger Ebert dead at 70

Your daily news briefing, with the video of the day, top news and quote of the day.

Nebraska City News-Press - Nebraska City, NE

Writer

Posted Apr. 4, 2013 at 3:15 PM

Posted Apr. 4, 2013 at 3:15 PM

News to know

Roger Ebert, one of the country's most well-known and influential fim critics, died today after battling cancer, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. He was 70 years old. Ebert battled cancer of the thyroid and pituitary gland, and lost part of his lower jaw in 2006. Even while fighting cancer, Ebert reviewed up to 285 movies a year and scheduled surgeries around movie screenings. His website, rogerebert.com, had millions of fans, and he had 827,000 followers on Twitter. He is survived by his wife, step-daughter and two step-grandchildren.

Quote of note

"Democrats and Republicans were able to come to an agreement on a strong, comprehensive bill. That is a message that should resound in 49 other states, and in Washington, D.C., and the message is we can get it done here and they should get it done in their respective states and nationally in Congress." - Conn. Senate President Don Williams, on Connecticut's gun legislation, signed into effect by the governor today. The legislation adds over 100 types of guns to the states banned assault weapons list and requires background checks for all gun purchases, according to CNN. It also limits the capacity of ammunition magazines and bans armor-piercing bullets.